I usually associate it with an unusually warm and sunny winter day but on Monday it was snowing in Seattle: soft, clumpy flakes drifting down from the sky on and off all day long, leaving a frosting of white on the grass and car windows.

Still when I left work that afternoon, I passed through a zone of piercing sweet scent that I immediately recognized as sweet box (sarcococcus humilis, I believe, though I am a little confused by my sarococcus species).

The scent is hard to describe but almost everyone describes it as piercing. For instance, I found this blog post by Barbara Wilde who gardens in Paris and found it wafting out of Parc Monceau. She describes it as powerful and piercingly sweet.

Another common description, and one I have used in the past, is the sensation of being stopped in your tracks, as described by Sue Taylor in an article at Dave’s Garden. She compares the scent to honey.

This year my first thought was of violets. Mary Robson at Muck About describes it as vanilla and honey. She brings in branches in November and “forces’ them to bloom indoors.

I have tried this myself as a way to extend this delicious scent but the scent really loses its charm after a few hours in a warm house and becomes cloying. I prefer that elusive, piercing, evasive scent that surprises me on a winter day with its promise of spring.

Share story

You might also like

Please donate…

Subscribe to our Newsletter!

Our popular, semi-monthly newsletter shows you how to bring the beauty of the current season into your life, with ideas for simple actions, seasonal recipes and easy projects, plus recommendations for books and other resources.

"I love the newsletter so much. It nourishes me in a deep way, inspires me, and helps me remember to connect. I really appreciate it! You are like a Wise Grandmother reminding me of the ever present NOW!" - Cheryl Morrison, Asheville NC

When you sign up for the newsletter, I will send you the PDF version of my first book, Celebrating the Seasonal Holy Days, within a week.

Featured in Our Store

Candlemas/Imbolc E-Book

On February 1/2, we celebrate the ancient festival of Candlemas (Imbolc in the Celtic tradition) with its powerful messages of hope and the potential for change. The illustrated, 45 pages portfolio contains
• ancient holiday customs of Candlemas, Imbolc, Groundhogs Day, Brigid, Sementiva, St. Agnes
• more rowdy customs from the spring full moon festivals of Lupercalia, Purim, Valentines Day and Mardi Gras
• instructions for creating candles & Brigid's crosses
• recipes for navettes, Hamantaschen, blinis, nun's ribbons, Agatha's breasts, jelly doughnuts and other rich pastries of the season
• lore of the dandelion & the snowdrop
• songs and poems
E-book (available for almost immediate download--I will send it within 24 hours of your purchase): $15.00 To order go to the Store/Holiday packets.
“I have ordered all of your holiday packets via e-mail starting with Beltane and I am in the process of ordering the Candlemas Packet. I find your information invaluable in planning and preparing for our ceremonies. You are one of the most grounded sources out there. Thank you for your information and perspective!” — Julia Rinne, Hand of Spirit

Slow Time: Recovering the Natural Rhythm of Life

My beautiful new edition of Slow Time. A new cover featuring a photograph from Cate Kerr. And a reduced price, only $14.99 instead of $19.95.
A workbook offering twelve weeks of reflections, stories and playful exercises to help readers transform their relationship with time. The book shows readers how to jump off the hamster wheel of artificial time and experience the flow and the rhythm of natural time. “To order go here.

Shopping Cart

Your cart is empty. Wouldn‘t it be nice to put something lovely in it? I\'m sorry to say the downloadable feature of the store is not working properly, so if you order a downloadable product, your order will be sent manually (by me, personally) within 24 hours of your purchase.Visit The Shop